


A Little Help From My Friends

by MissRomanceJunkie



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Matchmaker Steve Rogers, BAMF Bucky Barnes, First Kiss, Getting Together, Hurt Tony Stark, Kidnapping, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Wanda Maximoff/Vision, Protective Bucky Barnes, Rated For Violence, Winter Soldier Personality, just in case
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 19:16:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7857769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissRomanceJunkie/pseuds/MissRomanceJunkie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Tony is kidnapped, Bucky’s not going to stop until he finds him. Somehow, this leads to his life turning into a Beatles song, but with friends like Steve, that had probably been a foregone conclusion.</p><p>Or, the Avengers think Tony and Bucky are already dating and Steve turns into an accidental matchmaker.</p><p>Written for an anonymous Tumblr prompt that you can find in the end notes (spoilery).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally released chapter by chapter on Tumblr and I’ve made minor edits before posting it here in it’s entirety.
> 
> Enjoy! :)

“C’mon Buck, there’s no one better at getting out of these situations than Tony, believe me,” Steve said, trying to calm his pacing friend while they waited for the information Natasha had found to be verified. There was no point dashing off to Tony’s rescue if they were dashing off in the wrong direction.

“Steve’s right, it’s really annoying to get to him, only to find Tony sunbathing on a rock while a Hydra base burns to the ground behind him.”

“I’m not sure that’s what I said,” Steve tried to interject but Clint just kept talking on over him.

“In fact, I’m not even sure why I got out of bed for this.”

The grating sound of snapping metal cut through the room as efficiently as any blade of Natasha’s could.

“Of course this is just one big joke to you isn’t it _Hawkeye._ You don’t know shit.” Bucky let go of the broken pieces of furniture he was holding, letting them fall to the floor with a clatter before walking out the door, pushing more forcefully past Clint than Steve knew he usually would, both of the super soldiers always careful when it came to their extra strength.

Clint went to follow him but Natasha’s hand on his shoulder and steady eye contact stopped him in his tracks. After a moment of their silence, one that Steve knew conveyed far more than any words they’d be willing to say out loud would, Clint huffed and threw up his hands, Natasha releasing him easily.

“Seriously though, what is his problem? He’s been so far removed from concern that I’m starting to think mine and Natasha’s bet is null and void.”

Natasha rose one perfectly shaped eyebrow but said nothing. Steve, on the other hand, had never been one to hold his tongue.

“What are you talking about Clint? Bucky _is_ concerned, so am I for that matter. Can’t say I enjoy your flippancy any more than Bucky does.”

Clint squinted at him. “You know, don’t you? Nat, he’s totally trolling us right now isn’t he?”

Steve frowned and gave him his best ‘Are you really going to stand there and make fun of the super soldier?’ look, which he’d been told is actually more like a ‘Captain America is upset with you, now do you want to add disappointed to that, or are you going to tell him everything you know and thank him for the opportunity?’ look.

“Awwww man! Cut that out! Tony made a no _looks_ rule just last week after you almost made Bruce hulk out.”

“That definitely isn’t what happened.”

“Boys,” Natasha said, putting a stop to what was bound to devolve into childishness. Steve wasn’t sure what it was about Clint that had him falling to that level but their friendship was what it was. Usually he would say he wouldn't change that but right now…

“No more looks, but you need to explain what you’re talking about because I have absolutely no idea.”

“You’re saying you didn’t know that Bucky and Tony are dating?”

“They’re what?!”

“Steve, Clint wasn’t saying that Bucky doesn’t care about Tony’s capture. He meant that Bucky’s behaviour is a bit of an extreme reaction to the kidnapping of a friend isn’t it?” Natasha’s words made sense he supposed but he’d know if they were together wouldn’t he?

“Think about it,” Clint said. “I know Bucky hasn’t slept at all in the entire six days Tony’s been missing, I mean no wonder the guy is touchy. He’s barely eaten either and he snapped at Natasha the other day for not pressing hard enough on her source. He knows how sources work Steve and who the Hell snaps at Nat anyway? He has long discussions with FRIDAY and I know he’s spoken to Rhodes too, after which there was an awful lot of noise coming from his floor. I think Tony’s going to have some remodelling to do do when he gets back. Or maybe they’ll drop the ruse and just move into the penthouse together. Tony’s our teammate, part of our messed up family, of course I’m worried about him, of course I want to find him, but Bucky… He’s desperate to.”

Steve couldn’t deny any of it but the thought had honestly never occurred to him. He hadn’t even known Bucky liked guys that way, not that it made any difference to Steve but Bucky was his best friend, he couldn’t understand why he hadn’t he told him about any of this. It explained more than what Clint knew about though.

“The Soldier came out,” Steve said quietly, “Bucky asked me not to say anything but a few days ago, after FRIDAY’s search came up empty, I found him in the gym punching the daylights out of the reinforced bags and when I asked if he fancied sparring, he turned around and it was the Soldier. He couldn’t or wouldn’t talk to me, so I didn’t know how much control of himself Bucky had, if any at all,” Steve added, rubbing his forehead as he remembered the flicker of fear he’d felt when he’d seen his friend’s ice blue eyes look back at him with deadly intent, even if the rest of the man hadn’t moved a muscle towards him in the two hours Steve had stayed down there with him, waiting.

Bucky always came back to himself suddenly but that was the first time Steve had seen him so calm, like the change hadn’t been unexpected. It worried Steve but not enough to mention it to the two agents in front of him. Bucky could handle himself, even if his motivations were more personal than Steve had realised.

“Wait, what bet?”

Clint’s eyes went comically wide but FRIDAY spoke before Steve could bring out the _look_ again.

“ _If I may interrupt_ ,” FRIDAY said, her voice a safe harbour for all of them at the moment, calm and direct when everything else had been turned upside down. “ _The intel Agent Romanoff retrieved has proved reliable. Satellite footage and witness accounts all confirm the pattern we have come to believe implies a HYDRA base in the vicinity. There are two buildings that match the specifications Captain Rogers and Agent Barton have set, one is eighty-seven percent more likely than the other._ ”

“We should still check out both locations,” Natasha said, checking the weapons she’d kept on her person since their comrade and benefactor had been taken.

“Nat’s right, let us take the other building while you, Bucky and Bruce investigate the more likely one,” Clint added. Steve wished for a second that the rest of the Avengers weren’t either already on missions or honeymooning in another dimension, Vision and Wanda actually managing to do both. They could have really done with the backup, not to mention he’d feel an awful lot better knowing for sure that the rest of his team were alright.

“ _In the interest of efficiency, the three of you should take Doctor Banner and investigate the secondary location_.”

The fact that FRIDAY didn’t go on to explain her reasoning sent up an instant red flag for Steve, the AI was far too like her creator to miss out on an opportunity to show off her cleverness, especially when she knew Steve would want to know anyway and all her hesitation would cause was a delay in their departure. _Aww, Hell_.

“FRIDAY, where’s Bucky?”

“ _Sergeant Barnes is currently on route to the primary location_.” Her instant reply at least meant she disapproved of Bucky’s actions, even if she was assisting him.

“Jesus,” Clint muttered as they all rushed out the room and headed towards the roof.

“FRIDAY, put me through to Bucky!”

“He’s going to get himself killed,” Natasha spat out, her own worry breaking through her illusions of calm.

“If it’s even Bucky in the driver’s seat right now,” Clint answered.

“Damn it Bucky,” Steve cursed when there was no reply.

They climbed quickly into the second plane that Tony had only recently had SI produce. It was marginally faster than the original but a whole lot bulkier, carrying stronger guns and made to transport enhanced humans. That this was the one Bucky had left behind was telling. The ex-assassin planned to use stealth rather than strength and Steve let out a breath of relief at the evidence that Bucky was at least thinking straight enough to plan his assault of the base.

“FRIDAY, please ask Bruce to have medical ready for injuries, we’ll have to manage without him. I don’t want to give Bucky anymore of a head start than he already has.”

“ _Doctor Banner wishes you luck,_ ” FRIDAY said after a brief moment.

“Exactly how big of a lead does he have on us?” Clint asked FRIDAY.

“ _I informed Sergeant Barnes of the situation just before he left you all in the common room, not long before I informed yourselves._ ”

“You and I are going to have a chat about protocols after Tony’s back home, FRIDAY. I don’t care if they’re going steady, I’m the leader of this team and that means Tony is my responsibility, the same goes for Bucky. Now they’re both in danger.”

FRIDAY remained silent but Steve had other things to concentrate on now. “Clint, get us on his tail. Natasha, when we get there I want you to go scope out the second building, if you find anything you’re to contact us and keep watch until we get there, understood?”

“Leave it to me. You both watch your backs okay? And tell Barnes he’s got a date with me in the ring when he gets back. The дурак is lucky I understand or he wouldn’t have a warning and it wouldn’t be in the gym. Pulling this kind of shit. Идиот.”

Steve found Natasha’s assessment accurate, in fact he had some stronger words than idiot to describe his best friend right now. Tony would be scandalised.

“He’ll be okay Natasha, we all will be.”

Natasha nodded her acceptance as Steve strapped himself in opposite her. The two friends shared a look of determination.

They’d get Tony back and God help the people who took him because they’d find no mercy from the two of them.


	2. Chapter 2

“FRIDAY, stop putting Steve’s calls through will you? The noise is driving me mad.”

“ _As you wish Sergeant Barnes_ . _Are you sure it would not be wiser to join the other Avengers, recover Mr Stark together?_ ”

Bucky knew it would be a Hell of a lot wiser. He also knew his team mates wouldn’t be safe if he allowed them to come with him. He was barely holding the Soldier back as it was, the second he caught sight of a HYDRA uniform, he knew his alter ego would come out in full force. He trusted himself, all of himself, to never hurt Tony but everyone else would be considered collateral damage right now. Even Steve, who he would give his life for; if Steve tried to stop Bucky from getting to Tony when the Soldier was in charge, Bucky couldn’t guarantee his safety.

It hadn’t been slow, the way he’d fallen for Tony, it had been hard and fast like an avalanche. All of a sudden everything Tony had done for him, every small kindness and big gesture, and all the secret pieces of himself that Tony let Bucky see, all coalesced into one giant revelation that turned around and smacked him upside the head.

He was in love with Tony. No ifs or buts or worries about whether Bucky deserved him or how it would change things between them. None of it mattered because the simple truth was that Bucky loved him and nothing was going to change that.

Of course after a while, he had to face reality. None of that meant that Tony felt the same way, and with the risk of losing one of the few people he felt safe with, at _home_ with, Bucky hadn’t said anything.

And now the idiot had gone and gotten himself captured, and by HYDRA no less, because when Tony Stark does something, he goes big or goes home. HYDRA was Bucky’s curse more than anyone else’s so it wasn’t that he couldn’t imagine what Tony must be going through right now, it was that he could, in vivid detail and surround sound.

He pushed the plane’s engines harder, his desperation to get to Tony growing. It would be so simple to let the Soldier mindset take over. Bucky was still himself when he was the Soldier, all his thoughts were his own, but everything was clearer, his instincts sharper and his emotions honed to provide motivation while retaining focus. The Soldier was how he was going to tear through the base and rescue Tony but until he was safely inside and away from the Avengers, he wouldn’t risk it. The Soldier was Bucky but in this moment, on this _mission_ , Tony was his priority and once he’d focused down on that, it would be difficult to care about anything else.

“ _You are approaching the primary location now. There is a small clearing on your left that will provide enough cover for you to land undetected, I suggest heading around on foot to approach from the North though, as I have detected strong energy surges from the west and the south has a road into the village and is therefore likely to be more heavily guarded._ ”

FRIDAY’s intel was something they all relied on in battle and now was no different. Tony’s AI may not agree with his methods but she understood why he had to do this, enough to help in whatever way she could.

That had included filling Bucky in on all of Tony’s previous kidnappings. His childhood was the kind of story that could be found in a children’s book, a brave young boy outsmarting his captors and finding his way back home to his parents. Well it could have been, if not for the fact that his parents had hardly been bothered and Tony had barely escaped with his a life on multiple occasions. That wasn’t even taking into account the fact that the kidnappings continued well into adulthood, Tony’s time in Afghanistan being the most recent (and Bucky was determined would be the final) time.

God, Afghanistan. Bucky had already read the report of course but Tony had left so much out of it that Bucky was surprised Fury hadn’t demanded another. After FRIDAY told him about the panic attacks and the PTSD that was intertwined with his experience of flying through a wormhole and almost not making it back, she had suggested speaking with Colonel Rhodes about it, since he’d been the one to find Tony and was also his closest confidant.

It took some convincing, and Bucky respected the Colonel all the more for that, but eventually Rhodey had told him about the torture Tony had described one night, in the wake of an attack. Rhodey was sure the billionaire didn’t remember sharing the awful details but Rhodey would never forget, and now neither would Bucky.

For all that his experience in Afghanistan hurt and hardened Tony, HYDRA would be far worse.

Bucky landed the plane gently, making sure to stay under the radar but knowing that the plane’s stealth systems would do most of the work for him. He geared up and set out in the direction FRIDAY described. He followed her instructions to the letter, not wanting to waste any time on scoping the place out himself.

As he reached the perimeter he spotted several pairs of guards on rotation, their weapons the standard kind with good old fashioned bullets instead of energy weapons like those he’d see in the the sci-fi films Tony often sat him down to watch. Not that he hadn’t seen them in real life either, and because he had, he was even more grateful for FRIDAY’s guidance. This was the point that would come to an end though.

“ _I have no way to see inside the base Sergeant, you will be on your own from here until the rest of the Avengers arrive,_ ” FRIDAY said as if reading Bucky’s mind.

“I know Fry, I’ve got this. Let the others know where I went in okay, but try and convince them to hold back, for their own safety.”

“ _It is unlikely they will listen, as I am sure you already know, but I will try._ ”

“That’s all I ask. See you on the other side.” Bucky leapt over the fence without waiting for a response, avoiding the patrols as he approached the building.

He let the Soldier come out to play, his consciousness stepping back a little as instinct and training took over.

Gaining entrance was child’s play, the fourth guard at the doors more than willing to assist the Soldier after watching his friends die before ever managing to raise a weapon. It wouldn’t be long before the guards outside noticed their colleagues’ absence but by then the Soldier would be deep inside the base.

He created a map in his head as he moved through, the layout was similar to bases he’d been in before and it wasn’t long before he had a good sense of where they’d be holding Tony. He marked down exit points and kill zones, in case it came to that. He doubted he would be over run to the point he would need to use the latter but the Soldier was nothing if not prepared for any eventuality.

He stuck to the shadows where he could, only stopping when he had to but all the while taking care to keep his presence hidden for as long as possible. He wanted nothing more than to annihilate every single HYDRA operative in the building but that would take time and Tony had been held here too long already.

When alarms started sounding through the base though, the Soldier took great pleasure in striking down everyone who was unfortunate enough to find themselves in his path. He charged on, ignoring the splatters of blood and more solid things that clung to his protective clothing. He used knives where he could, they were quieter than a gun and quicker than his metal arm, for the most part. Although he couldn’t help squeezing the life out of the one operative who actually tried to threaten him, with Tony’s death no less. The Soldier smiled as the man spluttered and clawed at the metal against his neck, preventing him from breathing.

Tony was still alive.

Figuring this man was likely the one who was in charge of keeping Tony detained, he sliced through skin and bone to take his hand, the man’s eye taking less time to remove. Really he should have kept the man alive, getting passed any kind of vocal security would be time consuming without a living key but the Soldier couldn’t regret the man’s death.

Luckily, when he reached the right door, it only required a thumb print.

He found Tony strapped to a chair in the middle of the room once he’d he opened the solid steel door, almost flinging it off it’s hinges in his haste, and for a second, the Soldier’s heart stopped. His own voice screamed inside his head as he was pushed back at the sight of the unmoving body in front of him.

The sound became external as Bucky regained control.

“Tony!”

The yell could have been enough to draw guards, if there were any left around to respond. His memory was a little hazy on the details right now, so soon after the transition from Soldier back to Bucky.

The sound drew a groan out of the genius though and Bucky fought to hold back his own whimper, running over to the man that hadn’t left his mind once in the last six days.

“Tony. Tony, can you hear me? It’s me, it’s Bucky, c’mon, open up those eyes for me, please Tony. There, there you go.” Bucky let out a deep sigh of relief as he dropped his hands from where he’d been bending the metal of the chair legs beneath his hands, not daring to touch Tony when Bucky couldn’t spot a patch of skin that wasn’t sliced, bruised, burnt or swollen.

“I- Bucky?” Tony’s eyes weren’t quite focusing right and his voice was full of confusion.

Bucky’s world hung in a state of suspension, on the verge of shattering. The windowless room was empty besides a table covered in blades and tools that Bucky purposefully wasn’t looking at, lest he charge right back out the door and slaughter the rest of the base’s inhabitants with his bare hands, no Soldier necessary. It was possible though, that HYDRA had another chair, in another room and that Bucky had gotten here too late. His fears seemed to hang in a lump around his heart for much longer than the time it took for Tony to speak.

“Oh thank God,” Tony breathed out. “What the Hell took you so long?”

The only thing that stopped Bucky from wrapping the man up tightly in his arms was the sight of the blood covering his bare chest and legs, the crimson mixing in with the various shades of bruising that also littered his body, reminding him that he needed to get Tony out of here sooner rather than later. Who knew what internal injuries the genius had beneath the ones he could see, which included at least two broken ribs now that Bucky was scanning him more thoroughly.

He felt a tear of sheer relief escape because Tony was going to be okay. Bucky was here now, he’d get them out and once they were safe and sound, Tony would heal up just fine. Bucky quickly reached up to wipe the salty water away when the memory of the items he’d been holding just a few minutes before came back to him. A quick glance back towards the door revealed that the two body parts had been dropped in his shock of finding a possibly not breathing Tony.

“Is that a hand?” Tony asked, following Bucky’s line of sight with a scrunched up face.

“Yeah.” Bucky didn’t really have any more to say than that. He didn’t like the Soldier’s methods sometimes but everything he did was for a reason. Others had different opinions though and Tony had never reacted with anything but jokes about it before now.

“Well, if it’s got the thumb print on it that got you into this lovely sea view suite, you better get your ass over there and get it because these straps need the same print to be removed. Damn HYDRA agents are getting smarter, I haven’t been able to get out of this room once,” Tony grumbled.

Bucky laughed a little hysterically as he retrieved the hand, wasting no time in starting on Tony’s restraints.

“You okay?” Tony asked, watching him a little warily.

“You’re kidding right? I’m just perfect, doll. I’m not the one who's been locked in a HYDRA torture room for the past week.”

“A week?!”

“Almost, yeah,” Bucky said softly, his hand lingering for just a second on Tony’s wrist as he freed it from the last of the bonds. “Can you walk?” He asked gently.

“Not sure,” Tony replied, none of the snark he’d usually be throwing around in sight.

“C’mon, I’ve got you.”

~~~

Steve and Clint had met them about two thirds of the way back towards the entrance, but Tony hadn’t moved to pull away from him and Bucky had been grateful. He hadn’t been ready to give up the physical evidence that Tony was alive and Bucky hadn’t been too late.

“That was one Hell of a stunt you pulled Buck,” Steve said as the two men stood by a sleeping Tony’s bedside. The journey back had been quiet so far, Clint opting to pick up Natasha in Bucky’s plane while Bucky and Steve escorted Tony back in the other. FRIDAY was flying the plane at the moment though, while Bucky had been tending to Tony’s wounds under the watchful eye of Captain America.

“Had no choice Stevie, it was the best way.”

“You put both you and Tony in danger. What if the base had been more than you could handle alone?”

Nothing would have stopped Bucky from getting to Tony, but he didn’t say that to Steve, choosing to let his silence speak for itself. Anything he could say would tell Steve everything anyway and his best friend would either comfort or encourage him, once he’d forced a full confession out of Bucky regarding his feelings for their recovering teammate of course.

Bucky didn’t want to deal with that, not now and probably not ever.

The look Steve gave him wasn’t what he’d expected, more accepting and less disappointment, but Bucky was hardly going to complain. He turned back to the sleeping Avenger, always amazed at how easily Tony could fall asleep anywhere he laid his head. Bucky wasn’t sure he’d ever feel comfortable enough on any kind of transport to do that, even as injured as Tony was, and he knew Steve felt the same way.

Looking down at the man he loved, all banged up but safe, he knew he was going to have to say something. If Tony hadn’t seen more in his actions than just friendship already, it wouldn’t be long before FRIDAY filled him in on what he’d missed and after that, there’d surely be no way Tony could to miss Bucky’s feelings for him. Better it came from him first, especially knowing how flighty Tony could be.

The last thing he wanted was to scare Tony so much that he refused to even speak to him. He needed to think on the best way to tell him, so that their friendship would remain in tact; he couldn’t lose Tony from his life, the last six days had proved that.

He took a seat next to the bed and reached out for Tony’s hand, ignoring any and all looks that Steve was bound to be shooting him.

Tony was safe and for the moment, that was all that mattered.


	3. Chapter 3

Hospitals sucked.

It wasn’t a new thought and although the medical floor of Avengers Tower had far more amenities than a standard hospital (and access to FRIDAY thank God), the sentiment still applied.

Tony had been stuck in here for two weeks. _Two weeks_. That’s longer than he’d been held in the Hydra base. Four blank, pale green walls that he was going to have repainted the second he got out, one loudly ticking clock that he was dying to take apart and never put back together, three bunches of flowers that kept making him sneeze and jostle his wounds, and numerous well meaning visitors that stole his jello and interrupted his sleep.

Like he said, hospitals sucked.

There was a knock at the door before a blond haired, blue eyed, perfect example of the peak human condition popped his head around the corner

“Hey Tony, you busy?” Steve asked as he made his way in, hovering around the end of the bed while he waited for an answer.

“Seriously Cap? Do I look like I’m busy? The busiest I can actually be in this place is having FRIDAY read my own notes back to me. If I so much as think about moving my arm to bring up some holograms, Nurse Janet appears out of freaking nowhere and threatens me with sedation. How is that fair Steve? My mind needs constant stimulus, I can feel my brain cells dying while I’m lying here. It’s happening right now Steve, I can feel them.”

So maybe Tony was going a bit stir crazy, he really couldn’t be blamed for that.

Unfortunately, between Nurse Janet’s sadistic version care and his team mates watchful eyes, he hadn’t managed to make a break for it yet. He’d got close once but was foiled when the elevator doors opened and Bucky was on the other side. Tony was promptly picked up and returned to bed in silence, then Bucky stared at him unnervingly for a minute before leaving a box of blueberries on the bedside table that Tony hadn’t noticed he’d been holding, and walking out without ever saying a word.

Bucky, now there was a guy Tony didn’t mind manhandling him. The thought would have scared the shit out of him a few months ago but he’d had time to come to terms with his romantic feelings for the super soldier. He’d accepted that they’d never come to anything and then he’d proceeded in proper Stark fashion.

He’d gotten blind drunk and invented three new upgrades for Bucky’s prosthetic arm.

“Why don’t you take a seat Cap, you’re messing up the feng shui and I could really do with a distraction. So, what have you got?”

Steve smiled as he pulled a chair closer to the bed so that Tony could see and talk to Cap without having to sit up. He’d had to have a touch of surgery in the end and the last thing any of them wanted was for him to pull his stitches. Again.

“Bucky not here?” Steve asked as he looked around, like the words would make the ex-assassin pop out from under the bed shouting “surprise!”. The image made Tony chuckle.

“Nah, he hasn’t been round in a few days.” Ever since Tony’s disrupted escape, now that he thought about it.

“Oh,” Steve said, frown appearing between his eyes. It was the same look the Captain got when he was trying to work through a reference he thought he should know, but what part of Tony’s answer had Steve looking at him like he was a puzzle to crack, he wasn’t sure.

“You alright Steve?”

“Me? Yeah, yeah I’m fine Tony. Did you and Bucky have a fight?”

“What? No. Why would you ask that?”

“Well, you said he hadn’t been to see you…” Steve began but didn’t go on. If he expected Tony to know what he was talking about, he was sorely mistaken. Maybe his joke about brain cells hadn’t been to far off.

“Barnes is as free as anyone else to come or not to come and see me,” Tony said slowly.

“I know, but I just thought- I mean, since you guys are-”

Steve was blushing but where Tony would usually poke fun and revel in his ability to draw that kind of reaction out of Steve, he really had no clue what he’d done.

“Cap, you’re not really making a whole lot of sense right now.”

“It’s okay Tony, we all know,” Steve said solemnly, talking to the bed sheets.

Well, that cleared up everything. Not.

“And what is it exactly you all think you know?”

Steve let out a tortured sigh like this was the very last conversation he ever wanted to be having.

“That you and Bucky are dating. Look, it’s obvious you didn’t want any of us knowing, why, I don’t know because I’m really happy for you guys but that's not the point. If you guys are arguing or something, I want you to know that you’re my friend too and you can always talk to me. Bucky didn’t tell us by the way, in case you were worrying. He never said a word to me Tony. We just, you know, figured it out. I mean it was pretty obvious to anyone who spent more than five minutes with Bucky after you were taken by HYDRA, the guy was clearly terrified he was going to lose someone he loved. I can’t believe I never realised to be honest with you… Erm, Tony? You alright?”

Tony’s mind had reeled after the first sentence and then gradually progressed into panic mode as Steve went on, only to freeze to a complete stand still when he heard at the word love. Tony was waiting for it to reboot but until then, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to utter a single word if his life depended on it.

Steve started waving one hand in front of his face while the other gripped onto his shoulder as tightly as his wounds allowed. That’s when Tony noticed his heart monitor going haywire. He slowly reached up to pull the wire off and the silence helped him calm down a little. Obviously, there’s been a misunderstanding here somewhere, one that Tony was lucky to have the opportunity to rectify before it ever reached Bucky’s ears.

Oh Jesus.

“We’re not dating,” Tony said and was surprised his voice sounded as strong as it did, since his words were like a stab to the heart.

“Tony, it’s okay. I’m sorry that you both felt you couldn’t share this with us but now that we know, you don’t need to lie about it anymore.” Steve sounded so God damn earnest, it made Tony feel so much worse.

“Steve, you’re not _listening_ to me. Bucky and I are not and have never been dating.”

They stared at each other, both trying to convey their message, both waiting for the other to give in to the truth and for once, it was Steve that realised his truth might not be the right one.

Tony could tell the moment Steve believed him because his eyes widened and the blush returned.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh,” Tony said, more viciously than he’d intended but it was aimed more at himself than anyone else. It didn’t escape Steve’s notice, if his narrowing eyes were anything to go by.

Tony should leave it, extending this conversation was only going to hurt him whereas if he remained silent, maybe Steve’s embarrassment and old fashioned sensibilities would make him politely ignore the whole fiasco.

The thing was, Tony Stark had never been known as someone who did what was best for him.

“What on earth would make you think that anyway?” Tony asked, choosing to ignore everything else Steve had said, only willing to deal with one level of crazy at a time.

“He was- Tony, he was _devastated_. He was on a razor’s edge the whole time you were gone, snapping at all of us but it was more than that. He was desperate to get you back. Did you know he had FRIDAY unseal the Winter Soldier files in case there was anything in there that might help find you? He went through them himself, with FRIDAY’s assistance. I didn’t know about all that until afterwards though.”

Tony remembered that day. Bucky hadn’t been in the tower very long but he’d come marching into Tony’s workshop like he owned the place, which, when Tony was around, was a pretty difficult thing to achieve. He’d demanded Tony stop reading the files, which he hadn’t actually started to do, he’d been waiting for FRIDAY to finish her scans for any pertinent information. Once he’d told Bucky that, the Sergeant had calmed down some and Tony had agreed to seal the files, no questions asked. He knew how much Bucky never wanted those files to be seen, not by Steve, not by Tony or FRIDAY and especially not by himself.

“Do you love him?” Steve asked, before Tony could come up with anything to say on the matter himself. Tony thought he should probably make a run for it and for a brief moment he considered it, injuries and super soldier reflexes be damned. One glance at the belief on Steve’s face though, at the shine of discovery in his eye, like the puzzle had finally been solved, and Tony felt something dangerous stir inside of him. Hope.

“Yeah, I do,” Tony said softly, the first time he’d admitted so out loud.

Steve smiled like it was Christmas morning.

“You have to tell him. We really thought you guys were together Tony, it was just so easy to accept it as truth. Once I’d got my head around you guys keeping it a secret from me anyway. I don’t want to speak for him Tony, that’s not my place, but there’s something there. Please, believe me and take a chance.”

“I- Just, let me think about it okay? This is-” Tony shook his head. He’d gathered Bucky had been worried but then from the way the team had hovered around him for the past two weeks, so had everyone else. Could there be something more to Bucky’s fretting? If there was a chance… “I don’t want to mess up,” Tony’s words were quiet but their meaning was as strong and unyielding as iron.

Steve reached out to squeeze his hand. “Trust me and talk to him, alright?”

Tony nodded and after tapping his shoulder gently a few times, Steve left, muttering something about going to make Clint’s day.

Tony didn’t really know what to think now but if he let himself think, he was going to talk himself out of any kind of action. Nothing for it then, it was time to activate _Project Let’s Get The Fuck Out Of Here_.

“Fry, you hear me?”

“ _As always Boss._ ”

“It’s time to get Daddy out of here.”

~~~

He’d called Natasha in the end, and after a brief and reluctant explanation, she’d agreed to be his accomplice. His long standing escape plan hadn’t taken into account Nurse Janet’s sixth sense for shenanigans, Tony wasn’t sure anything could have predicted her.

Natasha had assured him the sedative would have no ill effects, the nurse was actually great at her job after all, if scary and slightly sadistic but that might just be Tony’s post surgery bad mood talking.

He waited for the elevator to reach the right floor, fighting the temptation to hit the button for his workshop every few milliseconds or so. When the doors finally opened on Bucky’s floor, Tony hesitated. Maybe he should wait until he was fully healed, or at least until he wasn’t on some pretty strong pain killers.

“Tony?” Bucky’s voice was gruff but he looked like a dark angel. He must have just got out of the shower and was dressed in black jeans and a black AC/DC top with his hair hanging loose around his face, the ends dripping water down his neck. Tony fought not to drool all over himself.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Bucky replied from across the hall where he was leaning up against the wall. He wouldn’t have looked out of place on the pages of a catalogue, model gorgeous with cheekbones to die for. “Escaped after all then?”

“Yeah.” Tony wasn’t sure when he’d lost the ability to form sentences but there you go. He coughed and tried again. “You mind if I come in?”

“Are you going to puke up on my carpet?” Bucky smirked.

“Nah, I’ll make sure to hit that rug you like so much.”

Bucky tried to look angry but failed, eventually giving up and just grinning instead. “C’mon, I don’t want you falling down there, your ass is heavy.”

Tony scoffed, mocked taking offence but Bucky just kept on smiling as he led them down the corridor to the living room.

“You want some water?”

“Please,” Tony replied and to negate a return to one word answers, continued. “I’m surprised you’re here actually, thought you’d be out training with the rest of them.”

They sat next to each other on the couch when Bucky returned from the small kitchen on the other side of the room. Their knees and half their thighs were pressed firmly together, Bucky turning towards him slightly so that Tony wouldn’t hurt himself further trying to see him, and Tony was suddenly very grateful for the water for a reason that had nothing to do with the exertion it took to sneak out of medical. He drank half the glass before placing it on a coaster on the coffee table.

“Is that why you came up here? Because you thought I wouldn’t be here?” Well, Tony couldn’t deny he’d decided to start at Bucky’s least likely location in his search and of course Bucky would have to ruin his carefully designed plans for procrastination.

“Something like that.”

Bucky watched him like he watched everything; carefully, thoroughly, saving every detail to memory. Tony knew because Bucky had told him, the same way he’d told him how he wished he could remember his sister’s face and that he’d spent three days moving around all the furniture on his floor because he couldn’t settle when he couldn’t see every possible entrance. They were close, Tony and Bucky, neither of them would deny that, but could they be more? Had Tony managed to miss the signs, blinded by his own pining?

“Can we talk?” Tony asked, wondering how on earth he was supposed to do this. He was sure he’d never had this much difficulty asking someone out in his life. Then again, he was asking for a lot more here than just a trip to a five star restaurant followed by a single night of four star sex.

“I thought that’s what we were doing,” Bucky said, a teasing smile gracing his lips. Tony couldn’t help but smile back, his emotions close to the surface and Bucky’s smile was a work of art, more beautiful than anything Tony could ever hope to build.

“Are you in love with me?” Tony blurted out, mortification taking over a second later. Of all the ways-

“Yes.”

“Huh?” Tony was obviously losing his mind.

“Yes, I’m in love with you.”

Tony pulled his eyes away from Bucky’s and noticed how hard Bucky’s hands were gripping the couch cushions, how still he was holding himself. Was he even breathing?

“I was going to tell you,” Bucky started, drawing Tony’s eyes up to his again, “once you were feeling better. FRIDAY fill you in on my behaviour while you were away?”

“Steve said- Steve said you went a bit overboard in your need to find me,” Tony said, deciding to leave the whole ‘already dating’ misconception for another time.

Bucky huffed out a laugh, relaxing just a touch at his friend’s name.

“Steve said that, huh? Well I’ve never really heard him lie so…”

“Bucky… Say it again,” Tony whispered. Bucky’s eyes softened as he slid over, no doubt seeing the mix of fear and elation in Tony’s eyes.

“I love you.”

Tony pulled Bucky’s mouth to his with a hand on his jaw but after way too short a moment, just long enough to find out that Bucky tasted of dark chocolate and coffee and that Tony could die happy with that flavour on his lips, Tony was forced to pull back.

“Ribs,” he gasped out, tears of both joy and pain building in the corners of his eyes.

“Shit, Tony!” Bucky jumped back to the other side of the sofa like Tony was on fire.

“I’m fine, I’m-”

“You are not fine! You should be in bed!”

“That an offer?” Tony asked, smirking at the super soldier now that his recovering ribs weren’t being twisted or crushed.

Bucky looked a couple seconds away from combustion but before Tony could decide if that would be good or bad, he seemed to relax.

“Yeah, it’s an offer, but we ain’t doin’ anythin’ ‘till you’re feelin’ better, punk.”

“Hmmmm talk Brooklyn to me.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

“You love it.”

“I love _you_.”

“I love you too,” Tony said, the words coming so easily that he was surprised they’d never slipped out before.

Bucky’s eyes glistened and he edged closer, taking hold of Tony with the utmost care. Tony would have laughed at the treatment any other time but that look, the _adoration_ that was plastered all over Bucky’s face just made Tony lean forward a touch to meet his dark angel’s mouth with his own.

It might have taken a while, and some unexpected help from some no doubt unrepentant friends, but now that Tony had Bucky, now that they had each other, it would take a Hell of a lot worse than HYDRA to tear them apart again.

For now though, with nothing but hope and healing cuddles on the horizon, Tony was willing to forget about the rest.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are love! :)
> 
> Original prompt: “tony is kidnapped and bucky is so distraught and desperate to rescue him that the avengers start suspecting the two of them have been secretly dating for months. steve confronts tony about this after he’s rescued and tony starts to realize that maybe his one-sided pining isn’t so one-sided after all”.
> 
> I’m accepting winteriron and stony prompts at the moment, so if you have any for me, drop me a line in my ask box over on Tumblr which you can find [here](https://missromancejunkie.tumblr.com/ask).
> 
> Oh, and if you’re the anon that sent me the ask, it was so much fun to work with so thank you! :D <3


End file.
